Finch: Route 49 project in Millville could be completed by October

MILLVILLE — At the Commisssion meeting Tuesday evening, Director of Public Works Dale Finch said that the Route 49 project should be completed by October, as per the project manager.

This will also include the traffic light that east Millville residents wanted, which will include the restriction of left turns off of Route 49 and Court Boulevard.

City officials said at a previous meeting last year that the no-left-turn signal onto Route 49 at Crescent Boulevard would meet traffic requirement by directing traffic toward Court Boulevard.

The $10 million road project was announced in August 2009 by then-Gov. Jon Corzine funded by state stimulus funds to lengthen the Route 55 off-ramp and add more lanes to the southbound part of Route 55.

The ramp will provide one right-turn lane for Route 49 westbound traffic, and one left-turn lane for Route 49 eastbound traffic, in addition to the new traffic light.

The project also includes safety improvements to the intersection of Route 49 and Wade Boulevard through road-widening east and westbound, and a new right-turn lane eastbound on Route 49 to Wade Boulevard.

New curbing, sidewalks, lighting, drainage and water quality improvements have been included in the ramp location.

Finch said that as long as the project fits final approvals by the project manager, the project should be completed by October.

In other news at the commission meeting, Commissioner David Vanaman, director of public safety, praised a training drill that was held last Friday and Saturday.

“It was very successful,” Vanaman said. “We observed the reactions to several what-if scenarios.”

Vanaman said the county EMS and 911 Center participated, using a model town. He also thanked Sherman Taylor, from the Office of Emergency Management for the county, for executing the drill.

The drill was funded with portions of a $15,000 grant the city received, oh which Taylor was able to secure, Vanaman said.

He added that Taylor secured a $19,500 grant for equipment and training and an additional $15,000, along with the existing $15,000 that is being used. Vanaman was happy to announce the nearly $50,000 that the public safety department has received in the past year.

“I’m proud of Sherman and his deputy coordinators, they put in a lot of man hours,” Vanaman said. “It was a real good affair.”

Additionally, during the public comment portion of the meeting, George Cooper, a Millville resident, got up and spoke at the meeting. He brought up multiple comments to the city, mostly wondering about the next steps of the Levoy Theater.

“They have these walls hanging in there,” Cooper said. “We don’t know if they’re going to knock those walls down, everything is so covert and secret. But I do compliment the police for keeping the kids out of there.”

Vice Mayor Joe Derella responded: “They did get their insurance of about $950,000 and needed to develop a new set of plans. Those plans have been completed and forwarded on.”

Derella said that the walls will be reinforced with steel structures and that the existing portions of the building have been reviewed by city engineers and are safe.